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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23503312">Sanctuary</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilgaScribe/pseuds/GilgaScribe'>GilgaScribe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Quest XI</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Post-Game(s), Recovery, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:21:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,647</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23503312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilgaScribe/pseuds/GilgaScribe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They had won. Calasmos was slain and Erdrea was safe. However, as the Luminary and his friends managed to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat, they did not leave the battle unscathed. Eleven sustained a fatal wound as he delivered the final blow. As he recovers in Heliodor Castle, Jade starts acting differently towards him. Jade struggles with her feelings for the hero and Eleven can finally take a break and sort out his own thoughts for the future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hero | Luminary/Marutina | Jade (Dragon Quest XI)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sanctuary</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Due to a tragic lack of stories featuring the perfect pairing of the Luminary and Jade, I decided to take matters into my own hands and write something.<br/>The Luminary/Hero will be called Eleven.<br/>This is my first ever story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His body ached. He barely had enough strength left in him to keep his legs from giving out under his own weight. The fight against Calasmos was a long and grueling one.<br/>But as Eleven looked towards his friends, he knew that no matter what, he would finish this battle. Rab, Erik and Sylvando were standing to his left, with Jade, Serena and Veronica on his right side. Hendrik, with his shield raised, was in front of him, having just blocked an attack Calasmos threw at the Luminary.</p>
<p>They were fighting this battle with him. For him. He was not alone.</p>
<p>With newfound resolve he tightly gripped his Sword of Light that Yggdrasil gifted to him and prepared himself. He channeled whatever power he had left into his sword for one final attack. One final move to end it once and for all. As Eleven rushed forward, his glowing sword raised, Calasmos took notice and raised its clawed hand, ready to strike the approaching hero. Just as he went for the offensive move however, he saw Calasmos' approaching clawed appendage, aiming straight for his chest from a sideward angle. 'This is it.' Eleven thought to himself. 'I can't stop now. This has to end.' His friends didn't say anything, but he knew they had reached their limit as well. Hendrik was down on one knee; the previously blocked attack had affected him more than he'd like to admit. Serena and Veronica were all out of MP and couldn't provide much more other than spiritual support. Poor Rab tried to keep up as best he could in his old age, but his body refused to move no matter how much he willed it to. Sylvando, for once, wasn't smiling. Erik had a broken arm from a heavy hit he took earlier, and even though he was standing tall, Eleven could see that his old friend was pushing his limit as is. And Jade… Jade was looking at him with desperate eyes. Eyes filled with concern and thinly veiled fear. 'This ends now, Calasmos.' The hero thought to himself. 'For the world. For the people inhabiting it. For my friends. For Jade…' He was willing to make the sacrifice and take this hit.</p>
<p>With a roar that sent shivers down his companions' spines, the Luminary jumped up high and swung his sword, emitting a majestic and deceptively sharp and powerful wave of the purest light straight at Calasmos. Mere seconds before the wave of light had the chance to make impact with its intended target, the hero felt himself get stuck in place. He briefly registered unimaginable pain in his chest as his world started to dim. The last thing he saw was an infuriated Calasmos letting out a scream filled with pain as Yggdrasil's light engulfed it.</p>
<p>It was a surreal sight. 'This can't be happening.' Jade thought to herself. “El!” She yelled out, eyes wide in shock. She barely registered the cries of shock and horror of her friends around her, too absorbed in what was happening before her. Tears filled her eyes at the sight in front of her. The hero, the luminary, her friend, the man she promised to never let go again was impaled by Calasmos' claw. She didn't have any time to take action though, as the light from Eleven's attack engulfed Calasmos, creating an explosion that sent her and all her companions flying off into the distance. As her tears started to fall, she was briefly aware of the sensation of falling before she too lost consciousness. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Jade awoke, the first thing she was aware of was the dull headache that seemed to make her world tilt slightly. “Ugh…” She groaned as she opened her eyes, a decision she immediately regretted as the sunlight coming from the window instantly assaulted her eyes, magnifying the headache plaguing her. Thankfully, the sun was setting, and the rays of sunshine weren't too intense as she tried to adjust her eyes to it. “What happened…?” Jade muttered as she tried to recollect where she was and how she got there.</p>
<p>“Oh my-! Princess! You're awake!” A voice called out from beside her. Startled she moved her head in a slightly too fast motion, causing her headache to spike up once again. She saw a maid standing by the door. 'Hold on…' That door seemed familiar. In fact, as Jade took in all of her surroundings, she noticed she was in her old room. “I'm in Heliodor?” She asked. The question wasn't necessarily directed at anyone, but the maid took note of her confusion and offered some answers.</p>
<p>“Yes Princess. Our troops found you and your companions unconscious, washed up on the Emerald Coast and hastily transported you back the castle.”<br/>So, they were washed up on the coast. That doesn't sound good. Why had they been there?<br/>“You really gave us a fright. You seem to have hit your head quite bad. You were unconscious for the past 8 hours. I'm glad you've woken up now. I'll go and inform the king immediately”. The maid continued and turned around to exit the room.</p>
<p>“Hold on!” Jade called out before the maid could leave. “What happened?” She asked, almost desperately.<br/>The maid looked at the princess somewhat perplexed. “You mean you don't remember? Well you did hit your head, after all. The eight of you had left to destroy that evil entity that emerged out of Erdwin's Lantern as it collapsed.” The maid explained. “You've been successful! You saved us all!” With this, the maid left to go and inform the king of his daughter's wellbeing.</p>
<p>As Jade heard this, all her memories came flashing back. The flight on Cetacea's back towards Calasmos, the grueling battle fought in the sky, and finally…<br/>“Eleven!” Jade cried out as she remembered what happened to her beloved Luminary. Immediately her hands started shaking and her breathing became shallow and quick. Panic set in as she stumbled out of her bed, her world spinning. She reached the door in no time, forcing it open und ran out. She wasn't even sure where she was heading, she just knew she had to find Eleven. She had to make sure he was alive. That he was safe and with her. Tears filled her eyes as she couldn't get the image of what happened to the hero out of her head.<br/>Some maids were startled to see their princess running frantically through the castle as she turned another corner and ran straight into King Carnelian, her father.</p>
<p>“Jade!” King Carnelian cried out in relief, which almost immediately turned into concern as he saw the state of his daughter.<br/>“Father!” Jade yelled frantically. “Eleven! Where is he?! What happened to him!?”<br/>“Calm down, Jade, you'll hurt yourself and aggravate your wounds.” King Carnelian tried talking in a serene manner, hoping to calm down his daughter. “The Luminary is alive. Come, we'll sit down somewhere and talk, alright?”</p>
<p>The king's words seemed to have calmed Jade at least somewhat, as she tried to slow down her frantic breathing. 'He's alive.' She thought and kept repeating it to herself, following her father back into her room. 'He's alive.'</p>
<p>Her hands were still shaking. Tears were threatening to spill but she managed to hold them back, though it did take considerable effort. She wouldn't cry in front of her father. Even though he was back to his normal self since Mordegon's demise, she still wasn't fully comfortable around him. Jade wasn't exactly wary of the man, but she didn't wish to expose her vulnerable side and break down in front of him either. For now, she would steel herself until she knew more of what had transpired after their victory.<br/>She failed to take in her surroundings due to being so lost in her own thoughts that she almost bumped into her father as the king stopped walking. She was in her room once more. As she went to sit down on the bed, King Carnelian grabbed a chair and sat down himself.</p>
<p>“The maid informed me that you had woken up. Understandably you have some questions.” The king began. “As I’ve already mentioned, the Luminary is alive. So are all your other friends.” At this, Jade breathed out a sigh of relief. “But…” The Carnelian continued hesitantly. “Your friends all sustained wounds as a result of the battle and falling into the ocean. These range from scrapes and bruises to broken bones. The Luminary, however, was not so lucky, as you know.” Jade's hands started shaking again. “You said he was alive…” She offered meekly. “Yes, he is. For now.” The princess' head snapped up to meet her father's gaze, alarmed. “What do you mean, for now?!” She demanded, panic setting in once more. “What I mean, dear daughter, is that the Luminary sustained wounds that would have killed any other man, from what I've seen. The most grievous of which is a pierce wound located on the left side of his chest.” Jade chocked back a sob as she remembered the scene vividly. “Luckily, it was too low to hit his heart. Our best healers have been taking care of him. Although they couldn't fully heal him, they made sure that he isn't in any immediate danger.”</p>
<p>“That's good news.” Jade replied relieved.</p>
<p>Carnelian nodded but sighed deeply afterwards. “Yes. But he's not out of the woods just yet. Whatever dark power Calasmos commanded has stained him through that wound, weakening the efforts of our healers. He will have to heal on his own what they couldn't. As such, he is still in danger. For now, he is asleep in another room, resting. It may be a while until he wakes up, I've been informed. Feel free to visit him should you wish to do so. I'm sure he would appreciate it.” Her father finished with a knowing smile.<br/>Choosing to ignore the look on his face, Jade absorbed all the information her father had given. 'He'll make it. I know he will. He's too strong to die.'<br/>Feeling better now, she asked the king about her other companions.</p>
<p>“They are fine, more or less. Our healers have taken good care of them. Erik and Serena are awake as well. Serena's been helping our healers with the Luminary. She's quite the talented healer.” <br/>“Yeah, she is.” Jade agreed absentmindedly.</p>
<p>“Well, I am happy that you are up and alright. I can see that you have a lot on your mind, but please do get some rest. I'll be on my way now. There's much to be done, now that the threat of Calasmos has been dealt with.” With that, King Carnelian left his daughter to rest.</p>
<p>Jade made up her mind to see Eleven right away. Despite her father's somewhat reassuring words, she needed to see him herself. She needed to make absolutely sure that he was alive. That his chest was rising and falling with every breath he took. That he was here, with her.</p>
<p>She took a few shaky steps forward and reached her door once more. Opening it up, she made her way towards the room in which Eleven was resting.</p>
<p>It was ironic. Jade made such haste to reach the door in front of her, but now she couldn't muster the courage to actually open it. With shaking hand, she gripped the door handle tightly. She was afraid of what she'd see when opening the door. 'I have to see him. He's alive.' She repeated that phrase like a mantra to herself. As she pushed down on the handle, the door slid open with little necessary force.</p>
<p>There he was. Laying in a bed, eyes closed. He was shirtless. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the bandages around his chest. Patches of nasty red littered them as some blood still seeped through. He was breathing with some difficulty, but breathing, nonetheless. She barely noticed Serena as she rushed to his side, grasping his right hand between her own two. A sob escaped her lips, her eyes filling with tears as she took in in what state he was in.</p>
<p>“El!” She cried out, a mix of concern, relief and despair in her voice.</p>
<p>“Oh, Jade!” Serena's voice called out from beside her. Jade turned her attention to the healer. Serena swiftly hugged her. Jade froze at first, before quickly melting into the hug and reciprocating with just as much vigor. They had just been through hell and back and as a result were more than just a little physically and emotionally drained. She heard sobs and sniffles coming from Serena. <br/>“I'm so glad you're ok.” Serena cried into her. Before she had a chance to reply the healer took a small step back and Jade could see how red-rimmed her eyes were. She'd been crying for a while, that much seemed obvious. She motioned towards the unconscious hero with one hand, the other wiping away the tears that still fell. “We just stabilized him a little over an hour ago. I've been told to rest, but I couldn't get my mind to stop racing. I sure wasn't going to leave him alone.” Serena explained.</p>
<p>Jade turned her gaze towards Eleven again, only now noticing that she too had let some tears fall. 'Some princess I am. I can't even control my tears.' She thought to herself.<br/>“Father told me you were awake and have been helping the healers. Thank you, Serena. Thank you for being there for him. You saved his life.” Jade smiled at the blonde.<br/>Serena tried to smile back, but it seemed a broken grimace was all she could muster at the moment. “It was horrible. He was in so much pain and he lost so much blood. Twice he even stopped breathing and we had to resuscitate him.” She recounted somberly. “He's not completely out of the woods yet, but the other healers were optimistic.” She seemed to calm down a bit.<br/>Jade nodded. As she once more looked at Serena she noticed how horrible the other girl looked. Barely standing, overcome with fatigue and grief. “Hey, listen to me.” Jade caught Serena's full attention. “He'll be fine.” She said with so much conviction, Serena dared to believe her. “So, do yourself and all of us a favor and get some rest. Yggdrasil knows you've earned it.” Jade saw the alarmed look on Serena's face and quickly added “I'll be here with him. I won't leave his side, and should anything happen, I'll make sure you're the first to know.”</p>
<p>Serena relented at that, noticing how truly exhausted she was. She still had large stains of blood on her attire. Eleven's blood. Since they managed to stabilize him, she stayed by his side. Serena was afraid that if something were to happen, she wouldn't be here for him. But she trusted Jade. Enough so to let the princess take over watching the Luminary for her. She hesitantly accepted the other girl's suggestion with a shaky nod, turning towards the Luminary. Grasping his hand, she gave it a quick, tight squeeze, muttering under her breath. “Please wake up soon.” She gave Jade a final, quick hug and exited the room, leaving Jade alone with the sleeping hero.</p>
<p>Hearing the door close behind her as Serena left, Jade took a seat next to the hero, gazing sadly upon him. “Why do you always do that?” She began softly. “Why do you always put yourself in danger like that? I don't know what I'd do without you. I've told you before I'd never let you go again, didn't I?” Leaning down, she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, feeling the heat on her cheeks. Holding Eleven's hand, she made herself comfortable on the chair, happy to feel his warmth, to hear his breathing and to just be with him.</p>
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